Allie—I’ve got a few questions for you.

1. How old are you?
I am 16 years old. (17 in a couple months, though!)
2. Where do you live right now?
Romania, which is in Eastern Europe by the Black Sea.
3. What other countries have you lived in?
The U.S.A.
4. What passport(s) do you hold?
One from the United States
5. What do your parents do that makes you a TCK?
My parents are missionaries. My dad teaches at a seminary here in Romania, and we also work in a village teaching the kids English.
6. How old were you when you first moved away from your passport country?
I was seven. It was very strange to be going, since as long as I could remember we had been getting ready to go, so it didn’t seem real when we actually did.

7. What are some of your favorite things about where you live now?
I like that we can walk to almost anywhere in the city that we would want to go. I also really like the people I’ve met here. Oh, it’s also nice being close to the mountains.

8. What are a few of your favorite things about anywhere else you’ve lived?
Let’s see… well, I like being able to speak English while in the States! Restaurants are also really great there, and I like the youth group that is at our home church.

9. What is the most interesting thing you’ve eaten?
Interesting as in strange? Probably lamb (or goat, I can’t remember which it was) or bird heart soup. I wasn’t particularly fond of either.

10. Do you think you have any advantages in life because you’re a TCK?
Yes. I think being able to live in a different culture has been a good experience and I think I have been lucky to be surrounded by deep, service-oriented Christians. I also haven’t had to face a lot of the pressure put on teenagers in the States.

11. Do you think you’ve missed out on anything because you’re a TCK?
The answer to this is also: yes. Often, being a TCK, I feel like an outsider, whether in Romania or America. I also miss not being able to participate in sports.

12. What are some of your favorite things to eat?
Tacos!!! Or did you mean Romanian food? I like tocanita (it’s meat in gravy-like sauce) over noodles.

13. What are some of your favorite things to do?
I enjoy hanging out with friends, swimming, hiking, volleyball, basketball, baseball, and skateboarding.

14. What pets do you / have you had? How do they fit into TCK life?
I now have two cats. We got them last spring and they are wonderful! It is difficult to find someone to take care of them, though, when we have to go somewhere.

15. What do you consider the most important sporting event?
The most important sporting event here would definitely be soccer, although handball is popular, too.

16. What schooling options have you used?
Kindergarten and 1st grade I went to public school and 6th grade I went to a charter school, all in the States, and for the rest I’ve been homeschooled.

17. What advice do you have for those who are becoming TCKs?
Get involved, even if it is hard and you can’t speak well or you don’t seem to fit in. Also, if you can find a pen pal who will write, they are really fun because it helps you to stay connected and have a friend when you go back to America.

18. What advice do you have for parents of TCKs?
Give your kids opportunities to serve and to get together with people. Be supportive and listen to them.

19. What do you plan to do when you finish your education?
I am not exactly sure. I would like to become a paramedic-firefighter, but I’m not exactly sure I guess I’ll just have to see.